The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for controlling crane movement to avoid collisions with obstacles, and more particularly, to systems and methods that utilize stored, site-specific elevation plan views of fixed obstacles and crane configurations to intervene with manually controlled crane movement to avoid collisions with obstacles.
Cranes are used in a wide range of industrial applications to carry loads from one location to another, among other purposes. Crane collisions with obstacles decrease productivity, increase production costs and endanger workers. Accordingly, systems have been developed to avoid collisions with other cranes and with obstacles. In automated systems without a crane operator, crane movements may be simulated and programmed in advance to avoid obstacles. In manual systems, crane positions may be monitored in real-time using lasers, GPS or other systems such that outputs from these devices trigger alarms to alert the operator of impending obstacles and collisions.
Neither of these conventional control systems make use of elevation details of obstacles at the site, nor include a controller that intervenes with joystick outputs at the earliest opportunity to control crane movement to avoid collisions. Therefore, it is one object of the present invention to provide an improved obstacle avoidance system and method for manually operated cranes.